


Options

by JasnNCarly



Series: Michael and Sage (Universe includes Starr Manning) [5]
Category: General Hospital, Michael Corinthos III - Fandom, One Life to Live, Sage Alcazar - Fandom, Starr Manning - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-13
Updated: 2013-01-13
Packaged: 2019-05-30 17:53:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15101918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: Sage is happy to get her new beginning with Michael; however, will her insecurities cut her last chance short?





	Options

**Options**  
  
It was unreasonable to be jealous of Starr Manning; yet it was all Sage felt.   
  
A dark lump of coal anchored in her gut as she stopped at the Kelly’s entrance to see Michael engaged in conversation with the smiling little bottle of perkiness and wide-eyed hope. She was everything that Sage could not be, meek and needy – beautiful and collected – adored and accepted.   
  
Her son’s coo interrupted her self-loathing, causing her to look down to his stroller and see the little brunette staring up at her. It was her only tie to Michael that could never be broken, no matter what any Manning did.  
  
However, her son was more than a weapon; he was her chunky bit of sanity and common sense. Louie was the small bundle of stablity she had as the world suffocated her.  
  
With one last glance in at the two laughing friends, Sage forced herself to follow Louie’s instinct and leave the scene before there was one.  
  
She walked for hours despite the cool air temperature and her extremely high heels, all the while her bundled boy pointing towards random sights and sounds. Once they had reached the docks, her son hypnotized by the tiny waves, Sage gave her calves a break and sat on the icy bench.  
  
The breath she finally released into the air was not accompanied by a puff of smoke, signaling to her that Louie’s rosy cheeks were just natural coloring.  
  
“You know, Louie, it’s times like this that make me wish we still had Uncle Lorenzo…or Diego.” She pulled off her gloves, stuffing them into her pockets and pressing her warm palms to her son’s chubby cheeks, “They’d know what to do. Even when I was ready to just—burn down a building…they seemed to have a better idea every time.”   
  
Reaching into her bag, she retrieved a sandwich bag of cheese puffs and held them up as Louie extended his open hands.  
  
Sage narrowed her eyes at her son, forcing him to put his hands down with a huff, before she shared the junk food treat, “One day, Mama’s gonna need you to teach her how to sit still. To be calm even when it feels like all her old demons are ripping at her stomach and begging to choke a familiar little petite blonde brat who is consistently in her way. Could you do that for me?” When her son laughed, mouthful of food, she offered a forced smile and continued to share her snack, “Otherwise, you’ll be paying Mama’s bail!”  
  
“Mama!” Louie repeated with a laugh, clapping his hands as he chewed.  
  
“I’m gonna need your help with Daddy, too. He’s far too nice, baby.”   
  
“Dada!”  
  
She threw a cheese puff into her mouth, crunching out of irritation, “You see Daddy doesn’t know when to tell chicks to back off. To disappear before Mommy has to ‘handle’ things because he’s back together with her and can’t make her think otherwise.”  
  
“And how did I do make you think otherwise?”  
  
It was too late to take back her ramblings as Michael leaned down to tickle his son’s sides and kiss his cheek.  
  
Sage cleared her throat, reaching for her bottle water and handing Louie his sippy cup as Michael slid onto the bench beside her, “This was an AB conversation.”  
  
A frown wrinkled his brow as he draped an arm on the bench behind her, “Now, I know you think I did something.”  
  
“Maybe I was speaking completely hypothetically with our son, and you just have terrible timing. Ever think of that?”  
  
“Sure, and the reason you missed lunch with me at Kelly’s? You just forgot, right?”  
  
“Maybe I did. Louie and I were having too much fun exploring the sights.”  
  
“What sights?” Michael stifled a laugh at her stone expression. As he tilted his head to look her in the eye, she bowed her head and elicited a sigh from his lips, “Starr was just saying hi, Sage. It was small talk, nothing more.”  
  
“I didn’t say anything.”   
  
“You didn’t have to.” He leaned back, shaking his head, “This has to stop. I’m trying here.”  
  
“Don’t force yourself.”  
  
“You really want to do things this way?”  
  
Sage bit the inside of her lip, forcing herself to be silent and caught Louie’s gaze at his father. It reminded her how much she had to lose, the magnitude of her life’s current fortune. There was a list of things she wanted to say to Michael, some accusations and others were desperate pleas.  
  
Instead, she swallowed her bitter pride and looked over at him, “No.”  
  
“You have no—there is no need to worry about Starr. She’s moving on with her life, possibly out of Port Charles.”  
  
_Yay!_  Sage stopped herself from verbalizing the thought, using her clean hand to cover his.  
  
“She’s no threat to you or to us.” Michael curled his hand around hers, lifting it to his lips and giving it a gentle peck. Holding it to his cheek, he continued with a small smirk, “I promise you that nothing will keep me from you and Louie ever again.”  
  
Her biggest fear was just that: Michael would disappear. Like a wave which threw her against a wall of rocks, she would be caught in yet another tide she could not escape. She would wake up one day alone.  
  
“Your hand is cold.” Michael’s playful pout accompanied his movement as he brought both of her hands to his mouth and took the time to blow a warm breath upon them, “We should get you warmed up.”  
  
The one thing she had no doubt about, the flirtation within his green stare, “Well, I was planning to get Louie home for his nap.”  
  
“Let’s go.” Michael assisted her to her feet, prepared to lead the way.  
  
Sage prevented him from taking a step, reaching up and pulling his face down to hers; as her mouth took control of his, she allowed the fear to dissipate.  
  
Starr Manning was no competition.


End file.
